Hosiery stacking apparatus



March 26, 1968 c. J. GLovl-:R

HOSIERY STACKING .APPARATUS I5 Sheets-Sheet l y Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 .w\EN Hm H l Tv\ mm@ y Il. w mmh@ w m www euvv M @wvl E Nm @m o Umvx Nw mi)mmo@ Nm wm @www M E a M m a mm v nmv vm om 1. 1.f. ,m fffl\\w\fINVENTOR.' Clarence J. Glover ATTORNEY March 26, 1968 C. 1 GLOVER3,3745903 HosIERY sTAcKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2l, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR. Garance J. Glover ATTORNEY March 26, 1968 c. J. GLovERHOSIERY STACKING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2l, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet wwgw@ R. 0m w m jClaren J. Gloverf ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,374,903HOSIERY STACKING APPARATUS Clarence J. Glover, Denton, N.C., assignor tSurratt Hosiery Mill, Inc., Denton, N.C., a corporation of NorthCarolina Filed Feb. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 528,912 6 Claims. (Cl. 214-6)ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE An automatic hosiery transfer and stackingdevice includes a series of chain-mounted retractable needles adapted toengage successive hose in the delivery station fingers of a hosieryeverting machine, pull the hose to its full length and then release thehose for stacking.

Hosiery, such as socks, stockings and the like, are made right-side-outand the operator of the knitting machine turns the hose for the seamingoperation or looping, sometimes called closing the toe. The invertedhose may be inspected by slipping it over the unsupported end of ahollow rotatable, tubular form which extends outwardly from a hosieryeverting machine and during inspection the operator may remove anydangling threads which are pendent to the individual hose while on theinspection form. The hose is turned right-side-out by inducing a flow ofair through the inspection form in the direction away from theunsupported end. This vacuum draws the hose into the tube toe end first.The hose proceeds through the hosiery everting machine and is abruptlystopped and received by spring lingers at a delivery station.Considerable production time is lost in removing the hose from thedelivery station both because of the hose being bunched and because ofthe difficulty of holding the hose and pulling it through the fingers.The prior art teaches various removing and stacking devices which graspand pull the hose from the `delivery station onto a stacking table. Suchdevices are generally relatively complex because the movement of thestacking device and the release of the hose from the mechanical fingersmust be correlated to the operation of the hosiery-everting machine.These devices are further complicated in that the machine must beadapted to handle hose of various sizes and weights.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improvedhosiery-stacking device which is adapted to remove hosiery from thehosiery everting machine, straighten it to its full length and move itto a stacking location.

Another object of this invention is to provide a hosiery stacking devicewhich is adapted to function independently of the operation of thehosiery everting machine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a hosierystackingdevice with an improved gripping means which is adapted to engage thehosiery in the delivery station, pull the hose to its full length andrelease the hose at a selected point along a defined path whilecontinuously moving along that defined path.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a hosierystacking device with means, firstly, for receiving the hose in astraightened condition and, secondly, for vertically stacking the hosewhile avoiding entanglement with previously stacked hosiery.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent byreference to the following specification when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view of the machine showing a plurality ofhose-engaging mechanisms which are selectively spaced along a link chaintrack;

3,374,933 VPatented Mar. 26, 1968 ICC FIGURE 2 is a right hand elevationView of the machine showing the hosiery-everting machine and the evertedhosiery stacked in a receiving receptacle;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the needle mechanism showing thesame tripping a lever which actuates the hosiery loading platform;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary pictorial View of the invention showing thelinkages for tripping the hosieryloading platform;

FIGURE 5 is a pictorial enlarged view of one of the hosiery-engagingmechanisms and a portion of the link chain to which it is afhxed; v

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken along line 6--6 of FIGURE 5 showingthe structural arrangement of the parts comprising the hosiery-engagingmechanism.

One embodiment of the present invention contemplates providing ahosiery-stacking apparatus or attachment which is to cooperate with butfunction independently of a hosiery everting machine. Thehosiery-stacking apparatus is generally comprised of a table or the likewhich is adapted to rest on a floor adjacent the hosiery evertingmachine. The table is provided with a plurality of. vertically andupwardly extending shafts which are rotatably mounted in its top,horizontal surface and which are adapted to receive chain-engagingsprockets. A selected shaft which extends downwardly through the tabletop is positively driven by an electric motor or the like which turnsthe idler sprockets in unison by means of a link chain which meshes withand is trained around the sprockets, the chain being effective to form aclosed path. The chain is provided with a plurality of hose engagingmechanisms which are adapted to pierce a hose residing in the deliverystation of the hosiery everting machine and to pull the hosierytherefrom onto a tiltable platform. For the piercing function, eachhosiery-engaging mechanism is provided with a spring actuated needlewhich is loaded and quickly released by means of a cam which is locatedadjacent the closed path and positioned for selective engagementtherewith. After the needle is almost instantaneously propelled into thehose, the chain carries the hose-engaging mechanism along the closedpath until the hose assumes a relatively straightened position. Theneedle is rapidly withdrawn from the engaged hose by means of a secondcam located along its path of travelv at a predetermined stackingstation whereupon the hose is laid to rest on a tiltable platform. Thetiltable platform.

. of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the figures, the device shown in the draw-v ings includes afixed fra-me assembly generally designated by reference numeral 10.Frame 10 is comprised of a table top 11 -which is supported by legs 12,13, 14 and 15 (legs 14 and 15 not shown). Legs 12 and 14 are connectedby means of brace 16 and legs 13 and 15 are connected by means of brace17. Braces 16 and l17 are interconnected by support member 18 whichrigidly receives an electric motor 19 by means of nut and boltarrangement 20. Motor 19 which is connected to a power source (notshown) by means of cord 21 is provided with a drive shaft 22 having abevel gear 23 rigidly mounted on its exposed end. Frame 10 is locatedadjacent hosiery everting machine 26 and in communication with deliverystation 64 thereof.

Table top 11 rotatably receives a plurality of upwardly extending andspaced shafts 30, 31, 32 and 33. Shaft 31 extends downwardly through thesurface of table top 11 and is integrally provided with bevel gear 34which is in meshing engagement with bevel gear 23 of drive shaft 22.Shafts 30, 31, 32 and 33 are respectively provided with sprockets 34,35, 36 and 37 which are rigidly secured thereon for rotation therewith.An endless flexible link chain 38 extends around the outer peripheriesof sprockets 34, 35, 36 and 37 and is in meshing engagement therewiththus forming a closed path. Upon the energization of motor 19, shaft 31is rotated thus driving endless chain 38 around thesprockets.

Chain 38 which forms the closed path is provided with hose-engagingmechanisms 43, 44 and 45 which are equidistantly spaced along the lengththereof. Hosiery engaging mechanism 45 (shown enlarged in FIGURE 5)which is identical to hose-engaging mechanisms 43, 44 is comprised of ahousing 46 having a substantially square passageway 47 extendinglengthwise therethrough, an elongated block 48 slidably mounted insquare passageway 47, a shaft 49 threadably mounted in and extendingthrough one end of elongated block 48, a cam follower 50 rotatablymounted on the lower extending end of shaft 49, and a needle 51 which isrigidly and axially mounted in the other end of elongated block 48.Hosiery engaging mechanism 45 is mounted on chain 38 by means of aninverted L-shaped support 53 which is integrally secured to the lowerportions of housing 46 at its upper end and rigidly secured to chain 38at its lower end so as to point needle 51 outwardly and away from theinterior of the closed path as deiined by endless chain 38. Needle 51and elongated block 48 are normally in an outwardly extended positionand are maintained in such position by means of a tension spring 54which is suspended between the upper end of shaft 49 and a stake 55which is threadably mounted in the outer end of housing 46.

To withdraw needle 51 and elongated block 48 inwardly toward the centerof the closed path, a cam, hereafter described, is provided for camfollower 50 which rides thereon and at desired locations overcomes thetension forces of spring 54 and pulls elongated Iblock 48 inwardly. Itcan therefore be seen that needle 51 travels inwardly and outwardly byallowing cam follower 50 to ride along a selected cam surface.

Chain 38 is associated with cams 60 and 61 which are mounted on tabletop 11 by any convenient means (not shown) and are selectivelypositioned along the inside of the closed path as deined by chain 38 soas to withdraw elongated block 48 and needle 51 inwardly and establishspring tension at selected locations and to release elongated block 48and needle 51 from such tension at other selected locations. When hoseengaging mechanism 45 is in position as shown in skeleton by referencenumeral 45a, cam follower 59 impinges against the inner surface 62 ofcam `60 and is forced inwardly thereby overcoming and increasing thetension in spring 54 and thus pulling elongated block 48 and needle 51inwardly. As hose engaging mechanism 45 continues to be carried by chain38 along the path as defined by it, cam follower 50 rolls along theinner surface 62 of cam 60 and rolls off the end of ca-m 60 whereuponspring 54 accelerates elongated block 48 and needle 51 outwardly so thatneedle 51 which was formerly in a position outside of delivery station64 enters the same almost instantaneously between spring fingers 65 andpierces hose 66a which is held thereby. Needle 51, when hose-engagingmechanism 45 is in position 45b, has pierced sock 66a and is positionedto pull hose l66a from spring lingers 65. At position 45C, hose engagingmechanism 45 has pulled hose 66a from spring fingers 65 and hassubstantially straightened the same. Hose-engag-ing `mechanism 44 ispositioned to release hose 66 by engaging cam 61 when hose-engagingmechanism 45 is at its first mentioned location (in solid lines). Whenfollower 50 impinges against and rides upwardly along inclined insidesurface 70 of cam 61, elongated block 48 and needle 51 are rapidlypulled inwardly thereby sliding needle 51 out of engagement withappendant hose 66 whereupon hose-engaging mechanism 44 assumes theposition indicated by reference numeral 44a. I -Iose 66 rests 0n tiltingplatform 75 in a straightened condition after 1t has been released -byneedle 51 and is adapted to be Stacked in trough-shaped receptacle 77.

Once hose 66 has been deposited on tiltingI platform 75 and is free ofneedle 51, tilting platform 75 1s pivoted downwardly by linkagemechanism 76 whereuponhose 66 is dropped into trough shaped receptacle77wh1ch is rigidly attached to frame 10 and which is in verticalcommunication with tilting lboard 75 and delivery station 64 as shown inFIGURE 2.. Tilting platform 75 is pivot-ally mounted on horizontallyextending arms 78 and 79 which are rigidly secured to frame 10 andextend outwardly therefrom in the direction of trough 77. Tiltableplatform 75 is provided with an integrally mounted and lupwardlyextending stake 83 which is pivotally connected to a conJ necting rod84. Connecting rod 84 substantially traverses the width of table top 11and is pivotally connected to a tripping lever 85. Tripping lever 85 ispivotally mounted on a vertically extending pin 86 which is rigidlyattached to table top 11. Tripping lever 85 is provided with a ared end8-8 which traverses the path as defined by chain 38 and which is adaptedto strike inverted L-shaped connection 53 of hose-engaging mechanism 45.Flared end 88 normally resides in an opening 92 in a plank 93; plank 93serves as Ia backstop for chain 38 and aids in maintaining chain 38 in axed path between sprockets 34 and 37 for when hose-engaging mechanism 43strikes flared end S8, it normally would have the tendency to be pushedinwardd ily thereby. The iiared end 88 is held in position across thepath as defined by chain 38 by means of spring 89 which is mounted toand between tripping lever 85 and a perpendicularly arranged stake whichis rigidly secured on table top 11 and extends upwardly therefrom.Linkage mechanism 76 is energized as shown in FIGURE 3 when hoseengaging mechanism 43 moves to the position 43a (in skeleton) whereuponconnecting member 53 of hoseengaging 4mechanism 43 impinges againstiiared end 88 of tripping lever y85 and pushes it outwardly thuspivoting tripping lever 85 about pin 86 and pushing connecting link 84toward tilting platform 75. As connecting rod 84 pushes against stake83, tilting plattform 75 is forced downwardly into the position as shownin skeletons in FIGURE 2. When in the tilted position, hose 66 slidesoff into trough receptacle 77. As tripping member 88 passes overL-shaped connection 53, spring 89 pulls linklage mechanism 76 back intoits normal resting position thus pivoting tilting platform 75 upwardlyand into a position parallel with taible top 11.

In operation, hose engaging mechanisms 43, 44 and 45 are equidistantlyspaced along the length of endless chain 38 to provide for thecontinuous removal of hosiery from an everting machine at apredetermined rate which can of course be controlled by selection of themotor speed, gear ratios and the like but which should -be at sufiicientspeed to insure the rapid needle action heretofore discussed. It can beseen that the hose engaging, withdrawing and stacking steps occurindependently from the operation of the hosiery everting machine. Thatis, the apparatus of the invention is operable as an independentattachment to the conventional everting machine. By energizing motor 19,shaft 31 is turned thus positively driving sprocket 35 and chain 38.From the positions of hose engaging mechanisms `43, 44 and 45 as shownin FIGURE 1, as mechanism 44 releases hose 66 by having its travelerstrike cam surface 70, mechanism 43 approaches tripping lever 85 andmechanism 45 approaches cam '60. After mechanism 44 has released hose66, mechanism 43 strikes and pivots tripping lever 85 whereby tiltingplatform 75 is pivoted downwardly by linkage 76 thus depositing hose 66in trough receptacle 77. Immediately after mechanism 43 moves rtree oftripping lever 85, mechanism 45 engages cam `60 thus moving needle 51-and elongated block 48 inwardly. After mechanism 45 has .moved past cam60, elongated block 48 and needle 51 are substantially instantaneouslyreleased there- -by and needle 51 moves outwardly and penetrates hose66a which is held in delivery station 64 by spring fingers 65. It can beseen that a hose may be removed from delivery station `64, straightenedand deposited into receptacle 77 for each complete cycle of ahose-engaging mechanism around the closed path as defined by chain 38.

Many different embodiments of this invention may be made withoutdeparting from the scope and spirit thereof. It is contemplated thatvarious numbers of hose-engaging mechanisms may be used depending uponthe needs of the user. Therefore, it is to be understood that thisinvention is not to be limited to the specific embodiment shown anddescribed herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatic hosiery transfer and stacking apparatus comprising:

(a) a plurality of retractable needle means horizontally positionable topositively penetrate the leading portion of s-uccessive hose retainedinternally of the delivery station lingers of a pneumatic typehosieryeverting machine;

(b) lmeans [for continuously moving said retractable needle means in ahorizontal plane along a defined single direction endless path whichincludes and extends from said delivery station fingers to a stackingstation, said needle means being separated on said moving means by anamount at least equal to the length of said hose;

(c) means for actuating said retractable needle means successively suchthat each positively moves to said hose penetrating position within saidfingers when at said delivery station and to a positively withdrawnretracted position when at said stacking station there- -by beingeffective to positively engage said hose by the penetration of itsleading portion within said fingers and to move the engaged hose fromsaid fingers such that it assumes a straightened full length conditionat said stacking station and to successively positively release saidretractable needle means from engagement with said hose by the positivewithdrawal of the retractable needle means therefrom; and

(d) receptacle means located at said stacking station in front of saiddelivery station, below and in vertical alignment with said defined pathVfor receiving in vertically stacked relation successive ones of saidhose.

2. In a hosiery-stacking apparatus as claimed in claim 1 includingtiltable platform means positioned below said path above said receptaclemeans for receiving said Ahose while the same is engaged by said needlemeans; and means coordinated with the withdrawal of said needle means atsaid stacking station for tilting said platform to allow said hose tofall into said receptacle in a stacked relationship.

Cil

3. In a hosiery-stacking apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein saidneedle means comprises a plurality of needle means movable in a closedpath which includes said fixed path; means to maintain said needle meansin continuous movement independent of the operation of said pneumaticeverting machine; and means biasing each said needle .means to movesubstantially instantaneously to said penetrating position when at saiddelivery station and rapidly to said withdrawn position when at thetermina-1 of said stacking station.

4. In a hosiery-stacking apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein saidclosed path is substantially defined by an endless link chain; meansassociated with said chain to support the same and to maintain saidchain in a position to define said closed path; and means for movingsaid chain continuously along said closed path.

5. In a hosiery-stacking apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein saidneedle means is comprised of an inverted L-shaped member extendingupwardly from and rigidly connected to said chain; a housing integrallyconnected to said L-shaped member and having a passageway extendingtherethrough being perpendicularly arranged with respect to said chain;a shaft slidably mounted in said passageway; a needle rigidly secured toa first end of said shaft and positioned externally of said closed path;and means associated with said shaft for moving said needlesubstantially instantaneously to penetrate said hose retained in saiddelivery station when adjacent said delivery station and for withdrawingsaid needle rapidly from contact with said hose when at the terminal ofsaid stacking station.

6. In a hosiery-stacking apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein saidmeans for moving said needle to penetrate said hose and for withdrawingsaid needle from contact with said hose is comprised of -a first camstationarily positioned inside said closed path adjacent said deliverystation; a second cam stationary located inside said closed pathadjacent said stacking station; a roller rotatably mounted on a secondend of said shaft and adapted to rol-l along selected surfaces of saidfirst and second cams; and a spring connected to Iand suspended intension between said housing and said second end lof said shaft wherebysaid needle is normally maintained in an outwardly projecting positionwith respect to said closed path and, selectively, in a withdrawnposition when said roller traverses said selected surfaces of said firstand second cams.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 958,090 5/1910 Burk 198-178 X2,602,535 7/1952 Bird 198-178 X 2,703,239 3/1955 Curran et al 198--178 X2,964,221 12/1960 Fuqua 223`43 3,134,482 5/1964 Knothe 198-178 GERALD M.FORLENZA, Primary Examiner. HUGO O. SCHULZ, Examiner.

R. J. SPAR, Assistant Examiner.

